Can Sutjeska stand up to the favorite from Cyprus? Read our tip and find out the answer!
More than two years ago, APOEL Nicosia was able to compete with top teams like Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. On the other hand, on Tuesday evening the opponent does not have quite as much radiance. The Cypriot record champions from Nicosia meet in the first leg of the second qualifying round for the premier class namely on the Montenegrin title holder Sutjeska Niksic. At first glance, the task for the Athletic Football Club of the Hellenes (Greek: APOEL) seems definitely solvable, but is wary of the internationally much more experienced Cypriots after the disappointing retirement in the previous year against the Lithuanian underdog Suduva Marijampole.
Football Betting Tips Sutjeska vs APOEL
Also the Montenegrin champion of the past two seasons has the potential to become a favorite fright, especially since the kickers from the Balkan Peninsula, due to the fact that the domestic league starts three weeks earlier than in Cyprus, should continue to be in preparation. Although odds between Sutjeska Niksic and APOEL Nicosia in the first leg in the small Gradski Stadium in Niksic are quite clear in favor of the favorites, we expect a fairly balanced game in which, above all, the hosts will initially be anxious to stay stable for as long as possible. to then exploit the expected fitness benefits with continuous playing time. Consequently, in the match Sutjeska vs APOEL Nicosia’s prediction that scored more goals in the second half than in the first round.
Sutjeska Niksic – Statistics & Current Form
The fact that Fudbalski club Sutjeska Nikšić are still allowed to dream of their first participation in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League or at least the UEFA Europa League is mainly due to defender Aleksandar Sofranac. The 28-year-old, who moved from Sarajevo to Montenegro’s second largest city in the summer, scored in the first-leg second leg against the favored Slovan Bratislava only in the final minute the goal to 1: 1 compensation, through which the blue-white before the own fans rescued in extra time. After another 30 goalless minutes the penalty shoot-out had to bring the decision. Although only three of the five Sutjeska shooters met, the supposed outsider retained the upper hand 3: 2 and managed surprisingly enough to jump into the second qualifying round. In the pairing Sutjeska Niksic vs. APOEL Nicosia are, according to the odds, the Montenegrins again the clear underdog, which – according to the estimation of the bookmakers – two cream days would need to make the entry into the third round perfect. Even in the first leg against a home crowd, extremely high prices of 8.00 in the top are offered for Sutjeska’s success.
The reasons are obvious, because the quality of the home team is certainly much lower than the Cypriot opponents. In addition, APOEL has more international experience. By comparison, Niksic’s biggest European successes date back to 2013 and 2014, when the reigning Montenegrin champions twice reached the second round of the Champions League qualifying campaign, but both failed to beat Sheriff Tiraspol of Moldova. Decisive for the clear failure was in both cases the home game. In 2013 Sutjeska lost at home with 0: 5; one year later with 0: 3.
Overall, the record in front of their own supporters with two wins, two draws and five defeats from nine European games in Gradski Stadium is anything but positive. However, as Montenegrin football has developed positively in recent years and the performance gap in the early qualifying rounds for international club competitions has also diminished, these historical figures are not necessarily enough to give a tip to the favored guests between Sutjeska Niksic and APOEL Nicosia to justify.
The four-time champion of Montenegro (last twice in a row) builds on the fact that you are already longer in the preparation and thus at least physically can offer paroli. On the Balkan Peninsula, the season starts already in one and a half weeks. In Cyprus, however, football fans have to be patient until the end of August. For this reason, we absolutely trust the home side to act at eye level for as long as possible. Betting for goals only after the break is a lucrative option.
Expected formation of Sutjeska Niksic:
➯ Giljen – Bulatovic, Nedic, Sofranac, Ciger – Jankovic, Erakovic – Vucic, Cetkovic, Kojasevic – Markovic
➯ Coach: Rakojevic
Last matches of Sutjeska Niksic:
⚽️ 17.07.2019 – Sutjeska Niksic vs. Slovan Bratislava 1: 1 (Champions League)
⚽️ 10.07.2019 – Slovan Bratislava vs. Sutjeska Niksic 1: 1 (Champions League)
⚽️ 02.07.2019 – Radnik Surdulica Vs. Sutjeska Niksic 1: 0 (Friendly Match)
⚽️ 25.06.2019 – Napredak Kruševac vs. Sutjeska Niksic 0: 0 (friendly)
⚽️ 25.05.2019 – Buducnost Podgorica vs. Sutjeska Niksic 0: 2 (1st league)
APOEL Nicosia – Statistics & Current Form
28 championship titles, 21 cup wins and 13 Supercup triumphs – The accusation that Cyprus’s most successful football club would eat silverware is definitely justified. Even on European stage is the club, in which once also the two German trainers Werner Lorant (2005) and Thorsten Fink (2015) were on the sidelines, long ago no blank slate. Already four times (2009/2010, 2011/2012, 2014/2015 and 2017/2018), the yellow-and-blue ones have taken part in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
The greatest success on the international stage to date is still being told in the island capital. In the season 2011/2012 reached the club, which was once founded in a candy store, sensational the quarter-finals and failed there only to Real Madrid. Admittedly, a similar run in the current season is virtually ruled out, yet these remarkable successes inevitably lead to the coach Paolo Tramezzani’s team in the second qualifying round are clearly attributed better chances than the no-name troupe from Montenegro.
Until just over a week ago, however, many fans had legitimate concerns that this qualifier would come too soon. At that time, APOEL had played three friendly matches against Rudar Pljevlja (0-2), Zilina (0-1) and HNK Rijeka (1-4) and lost each time. In particular, in the clear defeat against the Croatian runner-up deficits were revealed, which had to work up the Cypriot record master as quickly as possible. But we can say with justification that this has been achieved temporarily, because only two days later presented the Tramezzani-Elf improved in all respects, so that the 1-0 victory against Schachtjor Donetsk was considered a respectable success.
In the previous test matches the Cypriots always needed start-up time. In all four cases, after the break, there were more hits than in the first 45 minutes. For the first leg between Sutjeska Niksic and APOEL Nicosia, we therefore predict that the favorite in the first competitive game of the new season will need a certain start-up time to turn the expected optical superiority into goals. Nevertheless, with increasing playing time, the probability that the (missing) liveliness will be defensively expensive for the Cypriots will increase. Both in Scenario A and in Worst-Case B, more hits are expected in the second round.
Expected formation of APOEL Nicosia:
➯ Romo – Joaozinho, Savic, Ioannou, Vouros – Sousa, Alef, Matic – Al Tamaari, Zahid, Bezjak
➯ Coach: Tramezzani
Last matches of APOEL Nicosia:
⚽️ 11.07.2019 – APOEL Nicosia Vs. Shakhtar Donetsk 1: 0 (Friendly Match)
⚽️ 09.07.2019 – HNK Rijeka Vs. APOEL Nicosia 4: 1 (Friendly Match)
⚽️ 04.07.2019 – APOEL Nicosia Vs. Zilina 0: 1 (friendly)
⚽️ 30.06.2019 – Rudar Pljevlja vs. APOEL Nicosia 2: 0 (Friendly Match)
⚽️ 22.05.2019 – APOEL Nicosia Vs. AEL Limassol 0: 2 (Cup)
Sutjeska vs APOEL Direct Comparison & Statistics Highlights
Both teams face each other for the first time on European stage. Therefore, the direct comparison does not provide any important information as to which direction we should take in our Sutjeska Niksic Vs. APOEL Nicosia should give tip.
Sutjeska vs APOEL Our Best Betting Tips Explained
In the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round, Sutjeska Niksic will face home rights against APOEL Nicosia on Tuesday. Nevertheless, the odds are quite clear for the benefit of the guests, who on the one hand have much more individual quality and on the other hand are more experienced on an international level. Already in the first qualifying round these factors were not always automatically connected with success. Instead, attention should be paid to what phase of preparation the teams are in and which team may have physical advantages.
Key Facts – Sutjeska vs APOEL Nicosia Tips
♦️ Sutjeska has never survived the second round of the CL qualification
♦️ For Nicosia the season starts three weeks later than for the Montenegrins
♦️ Between Niksic and Bratislava in round one all four goals fell (1: 1, 1: 1) in the second half
The fact is that the season in Montenegro starts three weeks earlier than in Cyprus. Niksic is therefore in longer preparation and has also completed two competitive games against Slovan Bratislava (each 1: 1). The Cypriot record champions, however, let miss in the previous test matches any consistency, which is why we can not conclusively assess (want), whether between Sutjeska Niksic and APOEL Nicosia the tip on an away win actually value offers.
We decide to bet that more goals will be scored in the second half than in the first round. The outsider will keep up in the first 45 minutes and cause problems for the Tramezzani team. As the game progresses, the number of errors is expected to grow exponentially at this early stage of the season. The logical consequence would be more scoring chances and more hits, no matter on which side. We risk a medium bet of six units.
Sure Tip: over in 2nd HT
Odds: 2.10
